Qian Hai: The Modern Value of Traditional Chinese Culture

Shu Dagang Guo Qiyong Liao Xiaowei

Ever since the 1990s， there has been a call for reviving Confucianism and other cultural traditions in Chinese intellectual circles and at a grassroots level. General Secretary Xi Jinping has promulgated the mission of carrying forward fine traditional Chinese culture in a series of speeches since the Eighteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China （CPC）. His elaboration sheds light on the basic principles of how to understand， orientate， inherit， and enliven Chinese cultural traditions in the grass-roots society and how to promote them in state governance and the cultivation of core values. These ideas have already been part and parcel of Xi Jinpings thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era. It is of theoretical significance to further interpret Xis cultural exposition， which can be instructive in overcoming the nihilism respecting national culture and the reviving of traditional Chinese culture. The newly published The Modern Value of Traditional Chinese Culture [中華傳統文化當代價值論]， based on an objective understanding of the subject， elucidates Xis discourses on carrying forward traditional Chinese culture systematically and in depth.

The book is produced by Li Jun 李軍， who proposed the basic ideas and structure of the book， examined the contents chapter by chapter， and entitled and prefaced it in person. Li shared ideas with scholars from Guizhou and Hainan， and drew upon all useful suggestions. Of course， it is the writing team who finally made it a success. The team is named Qian Hai 錢海， showing the contributors concerted efforts and assembled wisdom.

Fundamentally， the promotion of fine traditional Chinese culture is intrinsically needed. The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation requires not only a strong material basis but also a guiding culture， as Xi repeatedly stresses in his discourses. Digging into the Chinese cultural classics， the book analyzes the internal logic connecting the Chinese Dream and traditional Chinese social ideal and proves the necessity of promoting fine traditional Chinese culture for the fulfilment of Chinese Dream in an ultimate sense.

For quite a long time， some radicals simplistically equated Chinese culture with something decayed， reactionary， and backward. To this the book responds that the mission of carrying forward Chinese cultural traditions is premised on cultural self-confidence， and it carries on an intensive discussion about these preconditions in the first chapter. By analyzing Xis relevant discourses， the book asserts that fine traditional Chinese culture is the soul， symbol， and spiritual basis of the nation. Building up cultural self-confidence is a fundamental approach to cultivating national spirit and strengthening peoples cultural identity. Of course， when we stress cultural self-confidence， the absorption of other excellent cultures is indispensable too. This becomes the books maxim， “adhering to the original source， absorbing other cultures， and creating a new future.” How to create a new future on the basis of inheriting cultural traditions？ Xi Jinpings proposal of creatively transforming culture with innovation is the basic principle of promoting traditional Chinese culture. The third chapter provides an in-depth discussion of this principle.

One of the premises of cultural self-confidence is cultural self-awareness， that is， a correct grasp of the spiritual connotation of Chinese culture. Through analysis of classic texts， the second chapter expounds on such key concepts as benevolent love， people-orientation， sincerity and integrity， justice， fusion and harmony， and the Great Harmony. In so doing， the book clearly displays the spiritual connotation of fine traditional Chinese culture and its conformity with the core socialist values. It sheds light on traditional cultures modern value from a spiritual perspective.

What we mean by promotion shall not be merely theoretical but practical. In other words， only when Chinese spiritual values are applied to the personal cultivation and the betterment of statecraft will they be substantially promoted. In this regard， the book sets forth the significance of cultivating traditional moralities and fulfilling core socialist values， as well as expounding the positive elements of Confucian and Daoist ideas of governance， the interrelation existing between the promotion of fine traditional Chinese culture and the enhancement of Chinas cultural soft power， the modern value of traditional personal cultivation， and methods of enlivening cultural traditions in the grass-roots society.

To sum up， the book theoretically elucidates the modern value of traditional Chinese culture based on a deep understanding of its spiritual connotations and Xi Jinpings cultural exposition. Moreover， the book is a perfect combination of history and reality. It is vivid in writing， simple but profound， and highly readable for readers at all levels， placing it among the excellent works regarding this issue.

A Successful Combination of Scholarship and Statecraft [94]

Reviewed by Shu Dagang

Culture is a nations eternal memory， embodying a countrys most remarkable characteristics. Whenever culture thrives， the nation thrives. Whenever culture is strong and vibrant， the country is powerful and vigorous.

Since the Fifth Plenary Session of the Sixteenth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China called for cultural reform in 2005， the partys eighteenth and nineteenth national congresses have systematically elaborated the plan for reform. Owing to these efforts， China has launched academic， theoretical， and legal endeavors centered on cultural self-awareness， cultural self-confidence， and cultural progress. The last fifteen years has seen a boom in socialist cultural undertakings and industry. These endeavors are unprecedentedly productive and highly diverse. Nevertheless， some of their products have been unduly pedantic and some excessively political. They do not necessarily accord with the needs of both scholar and government. The Modern Value of Traditional Chinese Culture authored by Qian Hai has filled in the gap between scholarship and practicality.

The producer and key contributor to the book has played a leading and decisive role for years among the cultural authorities of Guizhou and Hainan provinces. Members of the writing team， as participants in these cultural events， are theoretically well-equipped and academically rigorous. As a consequence， the book is far-sighted in conception and systematic in organization， as well as orientated to certain cultural policies and approaches.

The book comes straight to the point， stating explicitly the basic state policy of strengthening cultural confidence. In light of the principles of Marxist historical materialism， the book notes that fine traditional Chinese culture constitutes the most remarkable advantage of the Chinese nation， and the highest value shared by all ethnic groups and social organizations in China lies exactly in their common cultural identity， so one of the crucial missions of the new era is to strengthen peoples confidence in traditional Chinese culture. The book then thoroughly analyzes the Chinese nations most basic spiritual element embodied in Chinese cultural traditions and discusses intensively the six cultural themes， namely， benevolent love， putting the people first， sincerity and integrity， justice， fusion and harmony， and Great Harmony， so as to clarify the spiritual core of traditional Chinese culture to carry it forward in the new era.

In a down-to-earth manner the contributors of the book face squarely the historical limitations of and the potential for developing traditional Chinese culture， and suggest ways to creatively transform it in order to meet the needs of our times and the task of guiding the Chinese Dream. Following the pragmatist principle of making the past serve the present， the book tries to achieve a unity of tradition and actual practice， classics and innovation， and scholarship and statecraft. It offers thematic discussions on the following issues： “Practicing Core Socialist Values Must Be Based on Fine Traditional Chinese Culture” [培育踐行社會主義核心價值觀必須立足于中華優秀傳統文化]， “Fine Traditional Chinese Culture Inspires the Betterment of Statecraft” [中華優秀傳統文化可以為治國理政提供有益啟示]， “Fine Traditional Chinese Culture Is Chinas Most Profound Cultural Soft Power” [中華優秀傳統文化是最深厚的文化軟實力]， and “The Promotion of Fine Traditional Chinese Culture Is Indispensable to the Fulfillment of the Chinese Dream” [實現中國夢必須大力弘揚中華優秀傳統文化]. In doing so， it prepares a general reflection and practicable plan for how to make traditional Chinese culture serve the improvement of governance.

As regards how best to inherit and carry forward fine traditional culture， the book realistically and practically suggests that the best method would be to enliven Chinese cultural traditions and make them popular among the broad masses of the people. Aspiring to benefit the people and the state culturally， the book specially discusses the cultural rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It revealingly notes that Chinese culture must reach each individual of the nation and their soul and be concurrently internalized and externalized by them. To put it another way， the book recommends personal cultivation to everybody， just as the Great Learning suggests that， from the sovereign down to the ordinary people， all should morally cultivate themselves. And in the last part， by showcasing the successful work done by the Guiyang Confucius Academy， the book concludes with the role that local governments can play in the promotion of fine traditional Chinese culture. Structurally， the book is systematic， orderly， logical， and practical. It definitely benefits readers and governments by proposing feasible plans， introducing useful experiences， and setting a good example.

Second， the book macroscopically grasps history and at the same time precisely displays the essence of history. The contributors of the book have a good command of history， literature， and the Chinese and Western knowledge. Acting like great ancient Chinese historians such as Sima Qian 司馬遷 （145–90 BCE）， they explore past and present， investigate China and the West， consult different schools widely， and finally develop their own independent and creative thought. The writing team fully understands the cultural characteristics and achievements of different historical phases， as well as rethinking insightfully the global dissemination of Chinese culture. It is particularly worth mentioning that the book is well structured and eclectically neat. When discussing the spiritual substance and core values of traditional Chinese culture， the books elaboration is precise and thoughtful.

Third， the book sets forth cultural issues in the light of the CPCs history in the hope that it can be conducive to social reality. Looking back at the history of the New Democratic Revolution （1919–1949） and socialist revolution， the book carefully analyzes the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and attempts to unite the advanced theories of Marxist scientific socialism with Chinese culture. For example， it notes that the CPCs goal of building a moderately prosperous society is inspired by the concept of xiaokang 小康 （a peaceful， stable， and wealthy society） expounded on Confucian classics such as the Book of Poetry and the Book of Rites. Xiaokang， the book goes on， can develop into datong 大同 （the society renowned for the great unity and harmony beyond compare）， which is a course corresponding to the Partys mission to fulfill the minimum and ultimate goals successively. As regards the interrelation of rule of law and rule of virtue， the book asserts that both are enlightened by the traditional Chinese political wisdom such as govern by virtue， the unity of rites and law， and the priority given to moral education rather than criminal punishment. It concludes that the majority of socialist core values can be traced back to the basic values of Chinese cultural tradition. The fusion of traditional culture and modern political ideas will definitely make government officials more confident in the socialist path， theory， and system. Most importantly， the officials will feel much more culturally confident when implementing relevant policies.

Fourth， the book pays close attention to reality and genuinely cares for the nations fate. It shows concern about social problems such as lack of morality and distorted values and sincerely attempts to tackle them. It suggests the country “reinterpret and advocate the modern significance of traditional virtues such as paying gratitude， doing good to others， benevolent love， modesty， filiality， honesty， thriftiness， incorruptibility， and awe” and applies this to moral rectification. This accords with President Xis instruction that the socialist core values should be used to improve the peoples morality and encourage the people to do good.

Fifth， the book attaches importance to making the past serve the present and transforming traditional Chinese culture with innovation. It suggests that present-day people study ancient Chinese rites and Confucian classics and comb through all ancient literature. They will “rehabilitate Confucianism by understanding its essence and adding modern spirit into it， so as to establish cultural forms to meet the demands of a new age， which can be applied to all aspects of the political， economic， social， and cultural life.” Such assertions hit the mark， being practically feasible and worthy of promotion.

To sum up， this book， with an open mind and systematic discussion， is a good example of the unity of theory and practice and the combination of scholarship and application. It gives full expression to the role of fine traditional Chinese culture in cultivating the people， improving the world， and providing advice on politics.

Nevertheless， there is still room for improvement. In my opinion， it could go further into the subject of how to learn and understand Chinese cultural traditions through classics. It is known that traditional Chinese culture is a large and complicated system， and it is difficult to grasp all of them without continuous learning. The beginners need an entrance or base point. In truth， all schools of thought are of the same origin， taking classics as their basis; thus the fundamental approach to traditional Chinese culture is to study classics. If the book could add a chapter like “Approaches to Traditional Chinese Culture through Classics” to discuss the right learning path， and clarify the connotation and value， system and genres， history and influence， and integration and innovation of the classics， it would be perfect！

Translated by Chi Zhen

The Imprint of Thoughts： Philosophical Thinking on Cultural Issues